Tag Archives: Sheriff Reuel Todd

Residents have until Tuesday to drop off donations at the Oswego County Sheriff’s Department for victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Sheriff Reuel Todd said earlier this week that about 10 bags of donated goods have been collected.

The donation drive is part of a statewide effort organized by the New York State Sheriffs’ Association in cooperation with the Salvation Army.

Sheriffs’ departments around the state are collecting donations of essential items and the sheriffs’ association will coordinate delivery of the supplies to the Salvation Army for distribution to those in need.

Although it has been almost three weeks since Hurricane Sandy hit, the need for relief remains great, according to Todd. Many people still have no home, no heat, no food or basic necessities.

Todd said once the items are collected, they will be driven to a N.Y.S. Thruway collection point where they will be picked up and driven by truck to New York City, Long Island and surrounding counties that were impacted by the storm.

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The Oswego County Legislature will once again consider additional funding for the transport of inmates to other county facilities.

Sheriff Reuel “Moe” Todd has requested $250,000 from the appropriated fund balance to cover expenses for the remainder of the year.

Todd said if the current inmate level remains steady, the amount requested should cover expenses through the end of the year.

Last month, the legislature denied a request for an additional $900,000 and instead allowed a transfer of $400,000.

The thinking of the legislature is that the more requests Todd must make, the more public awareness that is shed on the jail overcrowding problem.

The state requires county jails to house state prison parolees who are re-arrested. However, the state doesn’t pay the counties for doing that, Todd told the legislators earlier this spring when the legislature voted to approve $200,000 for the sheriff’s office for the same problem.

As the jail population swells, so do the medical expenses and Todd is asking for an additional $80,000 to cover the remainder of the year.

To read the rest of the story, pick up the latest copy of The Valley News. You may also subscribe to the paper by calling 598-6397

With no guarantee that it would last through the end of the year, the Oswego County Legislature’s Finance and Personnel Committee approved a budget transfer of $900,000 to cover the cost of housing inmates at facilities in other counties.

Sheriff Reuel “Moe” Todd has been grappling with jail overcrowding for more than a year and has gone to the committee several times in the past to request more funds

The legislature originally budgeted $100,00 to cover costs incurred this year, however, those funds were exhausted in the first few months. Todd made a request in February for $600,000 to cover the remainder of the year.

The legislature suggested Todd request the money in increments so that the more frequent requests would generate more publicity, hence, resulting in more public awareness of the problems Todd is facing at the correctional facility.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Todd requested $400,000.

County Administrator Phil Church said that the jail population does not appear to be decreasing and he suggested the legislators increase the amount to $900,000 so that Todd doesn’t have to make the requests in piece meal.

Minority Leader Mike Kunzwiler asked if any unused portion would be returned to the appropriated fund balance account. Church said that it would.

The committee passed the budget transfer unanimously.

Inmates are housed in other county facilities when the jail meets the maximum capacity.

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Oswego County sheriff’s deputies continue to be in shortage and low pay is a contributing factor.

Currently, there is one opening while another deputy is expected to leave at the end of next month. Another deputy will be leaving in September and at least two will be gone at the first of the year, according to Sheriff Reuel “Mo” Todd.

“I can’t blame them,” Todd said of the deputies leaving. “We still don’t make the pay that they make in the police departments or nuclear plants.”

The union representing the deputies is currently in contract negotiations with the county, Todd said.

The starting salary for a deputy, as of 2011, is $18.93 per hour.

“It’s not as good as other agencies yet,” Todd said of the salary.

It costs the county $40,000 to $50,000 to train a deputy, Todd noted. The investment can be short-lived if a deputy leaves for a better paying position within another agency.

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The Oswego County Correctional Facility continues to exceed its limits and Sheriff Reuel “Moe” Todd has once again requested funds to pay the expenses incurred due to the overcrowding problem.

Todd has asked for an additional $200,000 to pay the costs associated with transporting and housing inmates in out-of-county facilities. The sheriff’s department must bear the expense of the costs associated with the relocation of inmates.

Initially, $100,000 was adopted in this year’s budget, however, that amount was exhausted in the first quarter of the year.

At that time, a request was made to transfer $600,000 to cover the added expenses.

That led to an additional $200,000 allocated through the adoption of a resolution in March, according to a memorandum Todd presented to legislators.

The fund balance is not enough to cover the expenses incurred through the month of May.

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